Freckles and Mischief
by Lilas Heiress
Summary: When the Asgardians' ship arrives on Earth after Ragnarok, Thor needs help to hide Loki from Tony Stark. And his first idea is to ask Zacharie, Iron's Man secret daughter. Loki and Zach are forced to become roommates, for better or for worst. But things turn out far differently than any of them could have ever expected… Loki/OFC
1. Prologue

**Freckles and Mischief**

 **Summary**

When the Asgardians' ship arrives on Earth after Ragnarok, Thor needs help to hide Loki from Tony Stark. And his first idea is to ask Zacharie, Iron's Man secret daughter. Loki and Zach are forced to become roommates, for better or for worst. But things turns out far differently than any of them could have ever expected…

 **Notes**

Post Thor Ragnarok, no post-credit scene (they never come across Thanos ship and make it to Earth without issues). Slightly AU for the character of Zach (and her relationship with the Avengers) but I'll try to stay canon compliant as much as possible.

This story is mostly a romance, but peppered with a little bit of adventure and humor. Being a little geek at heart, there will be a lot of pop culture references but it's not essential to understand all of them to keep up with the intrigue.

This story is pretty planned in my head and nearly finished, but I'm always open to suggestions if it can help solidify everything you find lacking. It's not my first OFC but please, if you find some behavior too Mary Sue, tell me. I want to make Zach as believable and true as she can be. I will try to post a new chapter every two or three weeks, but if I finish this story earlier than expected, it may come sooner.

As a final note, English is not my first language (I'm French), so if you find any grammatical inaccuracy, tell me so I can correct them. And please, be indulgent, I'm sometimes not as bilingual as I wish to be (especially when it comes to the sequence of tense that I find hard enough in French).

I hope you'll like this story and wish you a very happy reading! (Comments would be highly appreciated ^^)

* * *

 **Prologue**

Good morning everyone, I'm Zacharie ( _yes, with an "ie", meaning I'm a girl. Awkward, right?)_ I don't really know how to introduce myself or to start this story to be honest. I've never done anything like this before. It's kind of crazy… But you see, I've to put this down on paper (or on screen, more accurately) because I need people to know about it. I can't keep this to myself anymore, it's like… eating me up. So, here I am in front of my laptop, trying to gather my thoughts and memories to tell you all about the most amazing and incredible this that have ever happened to me. And when you'll learn who I am, you'll understand that my definition of "amazing" and "incredible" is pretty different from the rest of the world. Because my life and my world are pretty unbelievable to begin with.

Sorry, I babble. That's one of the main thing you need to know about me. My dad always tells me that I suffer from verbal diarrhea ( _meaning, I always says the first thing that pop into my mind without meaning to, without filter_ ). Most of the time, it's pretty embarrassing. And some other time, it's just downright mortifying. But I've learnt to live with it and I'm kind of okay about it now.

Anyway, I'm digressing. So, here we go, so hold on thigh guys and get ready, because it's going to be a bumpy ride.

My name is Zacharie Stark, and this is my story.

As you all probably have gathered from my pretty famous ( _or infamous, I'll let you be the judge of that_ ) last name, my father is Tony Stark. I already hear you say "Liar! We all know that Tony Stark doesn't have a daughter!" But, sorry to disappoint, it's true. You see, when you are Iron Man and fight bad guys all day long, you don't announce to the world that you have a secret child. I would have been a pretty easy target for them to use against him, am I wrong? So sorry to say that if you have never heard of me, it's probably because my dad doesn't trust you enough. Only a few people know who I really am. In his defense, Dad has only learnt about my existence 13 years ago.

My mom ( _who was crazy enough to give me a boy's name, thanks mummy!)_ and Tony had a torrid and incredibly brief affair in the late 90s. And 9 months later, here I was. Mom, who had traveled the world most of her life to teach foreign people sciency stuff that nobody except her ever understood, never told him about me before she found out that she had breast cancer. I was twelve at the time. She died a few months later and Tony being the only family I had left, he took me in.

Even then, he didn't tell a lot of people about me. For seven years, only Happy, James Rhodes and Pepper knew I ever existed. And my nanny Jarvis, before he passed away. You see, at the beginning, Tony wasn't the warm and cuddly kind of father. He still is not, but now I can honestly say that he's the best father is the world. But back in the days, he was never there. I think I honestly only saw him five times in my first year living in his outrageously big house. Pepper tried to make me believe that he send me gifts and postcards from all over the world, but I knew that she was the one to buy them. I was happy to pretend for a time, but then, I couldn't bury my head in the sand anymore.

I think fate kinda went my way after my 13th birthday, because for the first time in my life ( _but not the last_ ), Tony Stark surprisingly begun to act like my father when I needed him the most.

You see, me being the offspring of a brilliant astrophysicist and Tony Stark, I'm kind of a genius. Not to be presumptuous or anything, but it would have been pretty insulting if I had been otherwise. So, obviously, I hated school. I was the nerd, the weirdo and my teachers thought I was a dunce because I never listened in class and spent my time sketching things they couldn't even begin to understand. Nanny Jarvis and Pepper tried to help me socialize, they even threw me a big birthday party for my 13th birthday and invited my entire class. It was on this atrocious day, twelve years ago, that my life begun to have meaning again and that Tony and I learned what it meant to be a family.

Sorry for the digression… again, but it seems important that you learn to know me a little bit better before I throw myself in the main reason I'm writing this story. So, please, bear with me.

* * *

What did you think ? And remember, reviews are life!


	2. Begin Again

**Chapter One: Begin Again**

When Nanny Jarvis woke me up on this sunny morning of April, I already was in a bad mood. The day before, Billy Clifford had stolen my sandwich at lunch and broken my glasses when I had punched him in the nose as a retribution. I had tried to fix them with some tape, but the result was far from appealing. Now I looked even more like a nerd than I normally did. Which was difficult to say the least. I had frizzy dark hairs, dull brown eyes and bloody freckles. The ugliest and biggest pair of glasses always perched on my nose, I rather spend my days reading a book than talking to people (which I still do… sometimes. Yep, still a nerd to the core, guys.) Anyway, I ate breakfast like a good little girl, but couldn't help but feel a furious amount of dread when I saw the way Pepper and Jarvis smiled at me. They looked like a couple of mischievous teenager and I feared the worst.

"How's the birthday girl?" Asked Pepper with a freakishly _superhappy_ grin.

 _Oh boy_ … I thought. _What is she planning now?_

Pepper had only been working for Tony Stark for a few years at the time, but she already was highly skillful and the only one able to deal with my father's shenanigans on a daily basis. I still don't know how she can do it. That woman is a marvel of nature. No wonder he fell in love with her… Anyway, let's go back to the story at hand.

Pepper had always been more of a mother to me than my own biological one ever was, but sometimes, she tried too much. She always meant good, but on this particular occasion, she had totally misread me.

"I'm fine, Pep", I answered, munching on my toast.

"It's such a beautiful day. What do you say we go out to the park today?" Offered Jarvis, grinning like a madman.

 _I don't like this smile._ But I still agreed, because it was Sunday and I didn't want to disappoint him. He seemed so… hopeful.

Jarvis was so old I didn't know how he could still work for Tony. Surely, he should have been retired by now, but he loved my father like a son and would work for him until the day he died…

So, still unaware of the disaster that would come, I went to the park with Jarvis and Pepper. We chatted gently about everything and nothing until we entered the cluster of trees that hid the biggest picnic I had ever seen. There were food and drinks and balloons and games everywhere. There even was a magician. And people… With wide eyes and a gaping mouth, I watched the twentyish people stare at me and stand up to scream "Happy Birthday Zach!"

It was a catastrophe.

I could see all of my classmates cheering with false joy and felt empty. Why were they here? Most of them had never even talk to me. And… Billy Clifford was here, sniggering at me. It was wrong. It was mortifying. None of them were my friends. To be blunt, I had no friends apart from the two adults standing beside me and smiling at me with so much affection. It broke my heart. I knew all of these people were only here because Pepper and Jarvis had invited them and promised sweets and fun. None of them were here for me and come Monday, they would still bully me or downright ignore my very existence.

So, with what felt like lead in my stomach, I burst into tears and ran. Ran. Ran.

I was so upset I didn't even hear Jarvis and Pepper call my name and when I stopped, I was lost. And alone. I didn't recognize the name of the streets around me and suddenly I was scared shitless. Tears still streaming down my face, I realized how stupid and selfish I had been. Pepper and Jarvis must have been freaking out. They had only tried to please me with this surprise party and I had reward their effort with such contempt… I was so ashamed…

I tried to retrace my steps but couldn't find my way back to the park. I walked for hours until I finally went into a shop and asked the owner to call my house. It was a nice of man who gave me a chocolate candy while I was waiting for Pepper or Jarvis to pick me up. I didn't realize at the time how fortunate I had been not to come across any trouble. I could have been kidnapped, or worse.

I was astonished when the person who walked in turned out to be Tony Stark. He was pretty much a stranger to me at the time so I froze when he stopped in front of me with a glare. Stunned and scared, convinced that I was about to receive the scolding of my life, I could only look at him with a trembling lip and watering eyes. He seemed so impressive, tall and dark with anger. He stared at me for what felt like ages before kneeling until we were face to face. Then, without a word, his face softened and he gently picked my glasses from my nose. They were dirty with traced of tears. Slowly, he cleaned them with the hem of his shirt and gave them back to me.

"Sorry", I said while putting them back on.

"Come on kiddo, let's get out of here", he simply answered before ushering me out of the door.

The ride home was silent but I could see him glancing at me from the corner of my eyes. When we walked in, Pepper and Jarvis were on me the second the door closed behind us. I immediately saw that they had been scared to death, Pepper's eyes still red from shed tears. They didn't even scold me, too happy to see I was alright. I apologize to them and cried again while Tony stood behind me in silence. Then, he put a hand on my shoulder and asked me to follow him.

Still unsure and anxious about this man I barely knew, I stayed silent until I realized he was leading me to the basement. It was uncharted territory for me, because the lower ground of the house had always been off limit. I knew it was where Tony's workshop was and that I was forbid to ever set foot in it. I had tried to go there once and even managed to override the security codes that opened the door; but Jarvis had caught me red handed before I even passed the threshold and made me promise never to try again.

"Where are we going?" I knew the answer, but I wanted to be sure.

Tony gave me a cryptic smile over his shoulder.

"To my secret room".

I couldn't help but feeling eager. I had always wanted to see what was hidden there. When we stopped in front of the workshop door, Tony entered the code and placed his hand on a black panel on the wall. He must had seen my raised eyebrows because he said:

"After Jarvis told me you managed to get in, I decided to update my security a little bit."

The panel scanned his fingerprints and a robotic woman voice announced: "Good afternoon Tony."

Then, the door opened. When I stepped into the workshop, it was like I fell into the rabbit hole and woke up in Wonderland. They were robots, and machines, and computers and amazing technology everywhere. I had to catch my breath. Already, my brain kicked in and started to analyze everything around me. I only realized I was gaping like a fish out of his bowl when Tony burst into laughing.

"You're gawked, kiddo."

I blushed, but couldn't hide my wonderment. I didn't even care that I acted like the queen of the nerd. It was just amazing.

"This is so cool!" I creaked.

"I thought you would like it", he said.

That gave me pause. Frowning, I asked: "How could you know that? You don't know me…"

Tony watched me for a few seconds before shrugging and offering to give me a tour. For the next hour or so, I acted like a child on her first visit to Disneyworld. I asked so many questions that my mouth was dry. We talked more in an hour than we had since we had met. Finally, I understood why everyone was so awestruck when they heard the name Tony Stark. He was a genius. And I was beginning to feel a little mesmerized myself. Before this day, when people would talk about my father and everything he had done, I had barely believed them. For me, he was a selfish playboy who would rather spend his days abroad with faceless women then with his own flesh and blood. So, in my opinion, it was impossible that such a man could actually build anything with his own hands. And boy, I was really happy to see how wrong I had been.

We were sitting next to each other talking about engineering nonsense when Tony finally said:

"You're wrong you know, when you say I don't know you."

I glanced at him and saw he seemed dead serious. I just shrugged.

"Zach", he called. Finally, I dared to look him in the eyes (they looked exactly like mine) and was struck by the warmth I could see in them. "I'm sorry I've been so distant this past year but you have to understand how difficult this is for me. I'm still a child myself on so many level… How could I ever begin to raise one?"

I knew that. Pepper and Jarvis constantly complained about the fact that Tony was so immature…

"But when Pepper called me today to tell me you had run away, I was… I was freaking scared! You have to promise me you'll never do anything so foolish again, Zach. I'm the foolish one in the family, the part is already taken so you'll have to be smarter than your old man."

I just nodded, still pretty ashamed.

"On the other hand, I promise I'll be more present."

My heart skipped a beat upon hearing this and a boiling hope raised in my chest.

We stayed silent for a moment before Tony pointed at my taped glasses and asked: "Who did this to you?"

I turned away from his penetrating gaze but he gently took my chin between his fingers and forced me to look at him.

"I've always told Jarvis that you were far too smart to go to this stupid school."

"You think I'm smart?" I asked, a little too hopeful. But I didn't care how eager I sounded. I had my dad's attention. He was here and seemed interested about my life. Even my own mother had never acknowledge that maybe the fact that I hated school didn't necessarily mean I was stupid. Maybe I was everything but…

"Pepper send me some of your sketches last month and they are brilliant. Far too advanced of a 12 year old", explained Tony.

"13", I mumbled.

"What?"

"It's my birthday today, so I'm 13 now, not 12".

Tony seemed dumbstruck for a moment before abruptly standing up. He disappeared behind a heap of metallic parts and wires before coming back with a red and golden robot in his hands. He handed it to me with a sheepish smile.

"Happy Birthday, kiddo".

I didn't know what to do or say, so I just took it. I was so pleased I couldn't stop the beaming smile that spread on my face.

"It's just a prototype but I thought you would like it. You can even work on it if you want", offered Tony.

"Thank you… dad", I dared. It felt strange, saying this word, but in a good way.

Tony seemed as surprised as me because his eyes widen, but only for a second, before he was back to his smiling self. It was a little awkward after that, but when he sat again next to me, my father… dad… gave me the most wonderful birthday present ever when he said: "I'll be there for you, Zach, I promise."

I smiled. And he kept his promise.

The week after that, I transferred into an institute for advance children. There, I met people like me, nerds and made some friends. I loved school. When I went home for the weekends, Tony was almost always there and when he wasn't, he called. He send me daily emails when I was at the institute and even came to see one of the school play I was in. I loved my father.

When I was 15, my dad became Iron Man. The same year, I started college. At 18, I had two PhDs and came to work for Stark Industries. At 25, I met the love of my life…

* * *

Loki and Zach will meet, bear with me, please ^^


	3. Avengers

**Chapter Two: Avengers**

* * *

Living with a superhero wasn't easy every day. But living with a bunch of them was even more challenging. My dad became even more protective of me, insisting that I left my flat in DC to come live with him in the Avengers Tower when they assembled. I loved living in New York, it was big and exciting and I felt useful. I helped save the world. I worked in close proximity with my dad on so many projects I had barely any free time. But I was happy. Still innocent, still his little girl in so many ways, still so young. I thrived by his side and felt like I had found my place in the world. But I was still his dirty little secret and grew tired of living in his shadow.

I had to beg Dad before he agreed to introduce me to the famous Avengers. I had already met Steve Rogers once when Tony revealed to Captain America, Hulk, Hawkeye and Thor that the little brunette with glasses that followed him around like a lost puppy wasn't some crazed assistant but his daughter. I already knew Natasha, but we never were fond of each other. She always told my dad that I was a brat and a liability and that instead of keeping me around, he should have send me away or something. She said it was for my own protection, but I didn't buy it.

In a nutshell, Black Widow and I were far from friends.

But I immediately got along with the guys. I loved chatting with Bruce about sciency stuff and he was a pretty cool guy when he didn't turn green. Thor was a laugh and even if I was seeing him less than the others, we could talk about everything and nothing for hours. I was very fond of his stories from Asgard and I tried to teach him some earth stuff in exchange. Clint is a great guy too, but we only saw each other in passing and never developed a true friendship. But my favorite Avengers (apart from my dad of course), was Steve. We became fast friends and spent a lot of our free time together at Stark Tower and later, in the new Avengers Facility. He introduced me to Sam and we soon became a very tight trio. Now that he had disappeared with his boyfriend (sorry, his best friend Bucky Barnes), I missed him and Sam so much it hurts. Dad never knew that, but we stayed in contact. But a call once in a while will never replace the bond we once shared.

I could never forget the day Steve and I met, even if I'm still a little embarrassed about how ridiculous I must have looked…

It was five years ago and back then, I was still living in DC. Dad and I were supposed to have lunch together and I usually met him at Stark Industries, but that day, he had had an appointment with Nick Fury. So, here I was, roaming through the corridors of the SHIELD facility, and I was completely lost. Taking out my phone, I dialed my Dad's number, not really paying attention to where I was going.

"Where are you, baby?" Immediately answered Tony Stark's booming voice.

"That's the problem, Dad. I don't know. Hill said to take a right, then two left and another right… I think. But I guess I must have missed a step because I have no idea where I am", I admitted, looking around me.

Tony laughed on the other side of the line and I rolled my eyes. "Why doesn't that surprise me… Don't move, kiddo. I'm coming to you."

I was just about to tell him to hurry up, because I was starving, when I bumped into something hard and unyielding. Being an awful klutz, I tripped over myself and fell back. I would probably have broken my butt if a big and strong arm hadn't caught me around the waist, interrupting my fall. When I opened my eyes, I saw that the thing I had just bumped into wasn't a wall but a very tall and very muscular men. He had sandy blond hairs, baby blue eyes and a chiseled face that was far too handsome to be real. He honestly looked like a Disney prince… on steroid.

"Whoa, you're huge", I blurted, still quite dumbstruck.

The man frowned and stepped back, watching me as if I had just bumped my head.

"Sorry, that was rude. Sometimes, my mouth utters words without my own consent… "

I knew I was blushing like a schoolgirl. But he really was impressive. I had the feeling I had seen him before, but I couldn't put my finger on it. My embarrassment seemed to have mollified him because he gave me a blinding smile, revealing perfect white teeth.

 _Was this guy for real?_

"Don't worry, being awkward was kind of my specialty when I was your age" Holding out one of his broad and tanned hand, he added: "I'm Steve."

And then I knew where I had seen him before. He was Steve Rogers, the famous Captain America. I had found pictures of him in my grandfather's old stuffs. I had also heard about his sudden reappearance after 70 years buried under tons of ice. He was even more striking in person. And he was kind, his smile probably able to melt the entire North Pole.

A little awed by his blinding charms, I shook his hands. "Zacharie".

"Isn't that a boy's name?" Asked Steve with a lifted eyebrow.

"Yes, but my mom didn't get the memo".

He let out a little laugh and I was suddenly very proud of myself. Most people found me funny, but not in the right way. They laughed at me, not with of me… I felt my whole body warm up. It was immediate and definitive. I liked this guy.

"Do you work for SHIELD?" Steve asked, his face open and curious. I enjoyed the fact that he didn't immediately assumed that I was just a random youngster.

"No, I'm working for Stark Industries. I'm actually here to meet someone who should be here soon". I knew my Dad was using one of his many apps to pinpoint my phone. He was probably on his way.

"Strange place for a meeting", Steve pointed out with a crooked smile.

"I… I got lost", I admitted with another blush.

Steve snorted and I couldn't help but laugh as well and soon enough, we were chuckling like two idiots. He was the first one to calm down.

"Thank you for this, Zacharie, I felt like I hadn't laugh in years… which is true, I guess", Steve admitted with a lingering sadness. I could understand. Waking up 70 years in the future where everyone you knew must be dead really sucked…

"Anytime, Steve."

He gave me another smile.

"I'm sorry but I've to go. I'm already late", he apologized. "Will you be alright?"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. I'm a big girl. I usually can survive on my own, you know? When there aren't confusing corridors which all look the same involved. "

"I hope to meet you again, Zacharie". He seemed sincere and that made my chest flutter a little.

"My friends call me Zach". I didn't know why I said that because I didn't really have any friends, but it seemed fitting, concerning Steve.

"Zach", he nodded.

"See you later, Cap'". I gave him a military salute that earned me another blinding smile. He didn't seem surprised I had recognized him.

He disappeared at the end of the corridor and a few seconds later, my Dad appeared, leading me out of the building while chatting about everything and nothing. I was pretty distracted at lunch, thinking about my meeting with the iconic Captain America. I really hoped I would see him again.

Fate seemed to be on my side once again, because a few weeks later, Loki, Thor's brother, attacked Earth and after that, my Dad introduced me to the Avengers. And, for the first time in my life, I had actual friends, who knew who I really was.

All in all, living with the Avengers was like having very protective big brothers and an even worse father. It was mostly great because I knew that I was loved and safe but sometimes, it was unbearable. I had been pretty safe when Loki had attacked earth because I had lived in DC at the time, but after the shitstrom with Ultron, my life became much more difficult. See, I was in the building when the crazy robot had nearly destroyed the Avengers Tower and I got hurt pretty bad. I still have some scars on my back and my arms, the everlasting traces of the shattered glass that had pierced my skin. After that, we all moved to the new Avengers Facility outside of New York and I had the feeling that each of my moves were being monitored. Once, I had the upmost stupid idea to go on a date with one on my colleague only to find Steve, Sam and my father cornering him just as he was about to kiss me at the end of the night. After that, I had to use the most farfetched subterfuge when I wanted to date someone.

Not that it happened a lot. My love life was pretty much nonexistent now that I was living with a cohort of superheroes who treated me like a baby duckling.

When the new Avengers came along for the ride, I was already part of the family so they welcomed me with open arms. I still feel strange around Vision, because he looks too much like Jarvis and can be pretty intrusive. I remember when he walk right through my door one morning and gave me the fright of the century. Dad and Steve had laughed so much I thought they would crack a rib. I was relieved when I met Wanda because she was my age and pretty awesome. We quickly became close.

But, when the rift between Dad and Steve burst open, I lost all of my best friends in the process. No more Steve, no more Sam, no more Wanda. So, to be honest, the last year sucked butt. I was so mad at my dad for driving them away, but at the same time, I understood. Bucky, even if he had been mind-controlled at the time, had killed my grandparents. So, instead of wallowing in self-pity, I lost myself in my work at the compound. My days all looked alike but I was content, at least, that's what I thought.

I was 25 in 2017, when my life was turned upside down once again and all because of one person. My dad would say: "You should never have come back to Earth" and at first, I thought like him.

I was so wrong…

When you work with superheroes, you say to yourself that nothing can surprise you anymore. But as a scientist, you are taught to always anticipate the unexpected. But I never could have imagine that a bloody spaceship would one day land on the lawn in front of the Avengers Facility. I knew that alien existed, (thank you Thor), but to hear about it or watch it on TV and actually see it with your own eyes is quite different. I should have known that something strange was doom to happen that day when I received a strange email on my personal computer. I had just woken up from a dreamless sleep and was drinking a glass of OJ when I heard a little dig coming from my laptop.

Being the boss' daughter had some advantages. I had my own private flat in the facility with a state of the art kitchen, a dining room big enough to host a symposium and two huge bedrooms with a shared bathroom that could make every decent human being's eyes sparkle.

Coming to sit in front of my laptop with a bowl of sugary cereals I've loved since I was a kid, I opened my emails and nearly choked on my mouthful. It was from Thor. I didn't knew that he had an email account or that he even understood how to use a computer. And, wasn't he supposed to be back on Asgard? Last time I had spoken to him, it was months ago, when he had come to say goodbye, nearly breaking my ribs with one of his bear hug. He had told me about strange dreams he had been having about the destruction of his world and I had wished him the best of luck in his quest.

Was he back on Earth?

More than a little surprised, I read his email with widening eyes.

 _"Hello munchkin,_

 _I don't really know how to use this blasted device or if you will even receive this epistle but it's worth a try. I need your help with something and would ask you to keep it between us. In other words, don't tell your Dad. I will be arriving on Earth shortly and would ask if you could help me smuggle someone into the facility without anyone noticing. I can't tell you more in case this message would be intercepted._

 _I hope you are well and will tell you more soon._

 _Thor, God of Thunder."_

 _WFT?!_

I had to read the email several time to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. I was really happy to hear that he was coming back. Now that Steve and Co were gone, I had been pretty lonely these past few months. Not friendless, because my colleague were pretty amicable, but it was nothing like what I shared with the Avengers. They were like family, I could tell them anything.

I smiled at the nickname he had always used for me and stood abruptly when I looked at the time. I was late.

 _Crap…_

The rest of the morning was pretty uneventful, but while I was walking toward the cafeteria, a loud hovering sound suddenly echoed through the hall. It came from the outside. Used to be on high alert since the attack of Ultron, I turned around and ran, punching the red alert button on the wall. But already, dozens of heavily armed soldiers were hurrying toward the deafening noise. Dad was right behind them. When he saw me, his first instinct was to take my hand.

"What's going on?" I asked, slightly panicked.

But he smiled, so I relaxed immediately.

"Come kiddo, I think you'll want to see this." Dad ushered me toward the front door and we stopped on the lawn surrounding the compound, swarming with armed soldiers. Here, the sound was thunderous, but I barely registered it when I saw what was causing it.

A spaceship. A real, flashy, blue, huge spaceship was hovering above the ground.

I gaped like a fool as it slowly landed on the grass. It was as big as two houses. When the engine roar stopped, the sudden silence was unnerving. We all waited until a door on the side opened, revealing a smiling Thor and a grumpy looking, full green, Hulk. I only registered that Dad was still holding my hand when he let it go to move toward them.

"Hello Point Break, Veggie Banner", greeted Tony with a boisterous smile.

I had to roll my eyes at that. _Typical Dad…_

Nearly all of the Facility employees were outside now, beaming at the astonishing sight of a real spaceship on their lawn.

"Stark", simply said Thor, before waving at me.

I only realized now that he had short hair and that it really suited him. And that he was wearing an eye patch. Did he… Did he lost an eye? OMG, I really needed to talk to him!

 _At least, Dad could stop calling him Point Break now… But he would probably switch to Snake…_

"Welcome back, guys", said Tony. He was about to come nearer when Hulk pointed one huge finger at him and talked.

"Science Bro".

I burst into laughing at the same time as Thor when Tony stayed dumbstruck, gaping a Hulk. But the scene was interrupted when dozens and dozens of haggard looking people appeared behind the duo. They were wearing medieval clothes and seemed frightened.

 _Asgardiens…_ I realized.

Dad came to the same conclusion, seeing how he frowned and look at Thor in disbelief.

"I've got a lot to tell you, my friend, but first, would you allow your base to become a sanctuary for my fellow people?" Asked Thor with a darkened face.

I felt frozen, as if something hard and unyielding had wrapped around my chest. I had a very bad feeling about this. Was there… Were they all that remained of Asgard?

Tony nodded and gave order to the soldiers to accompany the newcomers inside the building. There was only a few hundreds of them. The facility's employees slowly returned inside, and when I was sure they were all gone, I moved toward Thor and Hulk. Only a dark skinned man with heavy dreadlocks and unnerving golden eyes and a beautiful black woman wearing a white armor remained, until the God of Thunder asked them to follow the rest of the Asgardians. The woman watched me with distrusting eyes when I literally jumped into Thor's outstretch arms. But I didn't care. My friend was back and judging by the way he held me, he needed that hug.

"Munchkin", he whispered into my hairs.

"Let's go back inside, we'll talk", said my Dad with an unusually serious face.

Thor let me go but kept one of his heavy hands on my shoulder. He then turned to Hulk, who had watch our exchange with a frown. He seemed… milder, more human than the beast I remembered.

"Tony is a friend, you remember, right? Go with him, I'll join you shortly." Hulk nodded and went to stand next to my father. "Tony, I need to talk to Zach for a moment, would you please take Hulk? He won't hurt you".

My dad agreed, but not without staring at us with a suspicious look. It was kind of funny to see him and Hulk walk in the Avenger Facility, talking (or more like grunting on Hulk' side) like this was the most natural thing in the world. Finally, when they had disappeared, Thor faced me with pleading eyes, both of his hands now squashing my shoulders.

 _Whoa, I had forgotten how tall and strong he was_. With my little 5.2 feet, I felt like a bloody dwarf.

"Thor… did you lose your eye? What the hell is happening?" I dared ask, lifting my hand to gently graze the redden and blistered skin around his metal patch. It kind of looked good on him.

He took my hand and held it between his huge fingers reassuringly.

"We'll talk about it later. There is more pressing matter. Have you received my epistle?" he said urgently.

"It's called an email, you know? But, whatever. Yes, I did. But why the secrecy? You know that you can trust my dad, right?" I frowned.

"Not with this. Come with me".

Nodding, I followed him inside the spaceship until we stopped in front of what seemed like living quarters.

"Wait", I said, putting a hand on his arm to stop him from opening the door. He stared at me with his remaining blue eye, his gaze as intense as ever. "Is it dangerous?"

A small smile full of tenderness brightened his expression when he took my face between his big hands.

"I would never do anything that could harm you, munchkin."

I blushed against my better judgment.

"I'm nearly 26, you know. I'm not a child anymore," I mumbled.

"For me, you'll always be a munchkin."

His smile pushed all my fears away and I nudged him as hard as I could on the arm. He didn't even budge.

 _Freaking Asgardians…_

"Whatever…" I mumbled.

Then, Thor opened the door, revealing a tall and slender man with long dark hair and the greenest eyes I had ever seen.

 _Oh crap…_

Even if I had never met him before, I knew who he was.

Loki.

* * *

And here we gooo!


	4. Asgardians

**Chapter Three: Asgardians**

* * *

I stayed stunned for I don't know how long, staring at the Asgardian in front of me. I had seen footages of him when he had tried to invade Earth with the help of the Chiroris, but they really didn't do him justice. In person, Loki was… enthralling. All tall and dark and handsome.

 _Wasn't Thor supposed to be the hot one in the family?_ That was just unfair to the rest of the universe.

I could never have imagined being so awestruck by the mere presence of someone before. I didn't consider myself to be shallow, swooning and giggling like a fool in front of every cute guy that crossed my path wasn't exactly my style. I had been living with the freaking Avengers for years for Godsake! I was used to see incredible beauty on an everyday basic… I should have been able to at least scold my expression.

But no. I was gaping at the poor guy like a moronic teenager.

I must have looked like a lunatic because Loki watched me with widening eyes before actually snorting, trying to hide his smile behind a long and pale hand.

 _Oh God… it was even worst when he was smiling…_

At least, the fact that he had downright laughed at my face startled me enough to wake me up. I gave myself a mental slap and averted my eyes. I knew I was blushing and it pissed me off. To get a little bit of my self-esteem back, I turn to Thor and asked:

"Wasn't he supposed to be dead?"

The blond Asgardian didn't seem fazed by my ogling his brother. "That's a long story, for another time. That's why I need your help, actually. Could you get Loki inside the building and keep him safe, at least for the night, without being seen?"

"Whoa, hold your horses! You want me to sneak a notorious villain inside the Avengers Facility? Right under the nose of Iron freaking Man? You've got to be joking!" I replied with wild hand gestures.

I could be really effusive when I was nervous. And everything, from the gorgeous green eyed Asgardian, to the very thought of lying to my father made me incredibly nervous. If only Loki would be kind enough to stop watching me like if I was some weird experiment, I would be able _to calm the hell down_. But I could sense his stare burning the side of my probably red face.

"Munchkin, please".

 _Oh no… Not the pleading face. No Thor, it's not fair. Dammnit_ … How could anyone refuse anything to those baby blue eyes? (Eye, to be exact, but the fact he only had one left didn't alter its effectiveness in the slightest!)

"Fine, but only for the night", I agreed. _God, I was sooo weak!_

When we both turned to face Loki, he was watching us with raised eyebrows. "Are you serious, brother? You wish me to put my faith in this simple… child?" He scorned with evident contempt.

 _Child?_

A burning anger rose inside my chest. If I hated something, it was when people mocked my youthful features. And I didn't look like a child _, thank you very much!_ Yes, I was tiny and still had those bloody freckles and big glasses but I exhibited others… attributes, which proved that I _definitely_ was not a child!

"Whoa, you are rude", I said, crossing my arms on my pretty ample chest as if to prove my point. But my anger only made him smile mockingly.

 _Okay, he was hot, but what a prat!_

"Loki", interrupted Thor with his mighty voice. "I trust Zacharie with my life. You'll go with her and behave. Please. I'll join you as soon as possible."

Loki seemed as weak as me when it came its brother pleading face, because he lost a little bit of his luster and sighed: "Fine".

We still exchanged an annoyed stare before turning back to Thor.

"We need to hide him. Is there any place you can think of?" Asked the God of Thunder.

Yes, I could think of a few, like one of the holding cells, for example. Or a broom closet. But I stayed silent while thinking about another alternative.

"There are plenty of unused living quarters, but they will be pretty full now that your people are here. Nobody else has a spare room, except for me of course, but…"

"That would be perfect, Zach! You would be able to watch him for the night", interrupted Thor. His face was bright, like if he had just had the best idea ever.

"No way!" I shout out as Loki yelled: "I'm not staying with her! I don't need a chaperon!"

We shared another murderous glare and I was about to tell him to shove it somewhere highly inappropriate when Thor once again pulled the rug from under our feet.

"It will only be for one night and I will be there as well. I just need to talk with your father before, Zach. I promise."

My eyes widen in horror. Did Thor just gave away my biggest secret to a very notorious villain? He only realized what he had done when Loki asked incredulously: "She is Stark's _daughter_?"

"Well done, Thor".

He tried to apologize, but the harm was done. I suddenly felt very tired. And it was only midday…

 _Those Asgardians would be the death of me, I swear._

"Come with me, you silly aliens. I know a way. But stay quiet."

I turned around, knowing they were following me when I heard Loki whispered: "Did she just insult us?" Thor must have punched him or something because the next thing I heard was a little yelp of pain from Loki. I couldn't help but smile. _Serves him right…_

They were lucky I knew the place like the back of my hand. There was a private entrance to my flat devoid of any security cameras. We had to sneak around the building and watch out for guard's patrols but we managed to get into my home without being seen. When Loki walked in, he watched the surrounding with a frown, his eyes going from the ample kitchen to the huge living room as if it was the dirtiest dump he had ever seen.

 _Prat…_

"It's measly, but it will do", he finally decided, facing me.

"Well, thank you, you highness", I answered sarcastically.

Thor left after that, promising he would be back shortly. When the door closed behind him, the atmosphere became highly uneasy. I couldn't believe that Loki, freaking God of Mischief, was standing in my living room in all his armored glory. We avoided each other's eyes until I couldn't stand the tension anymore. Letting out a sigh I didn't realized I had been holding, I gave him an awkward smile.

"Maybe you would like a change of clothes? You mustn't be really comfortable in your armor." It was all heavy metal and leather.

He only winked at me before giving a swirl of his wrist. I expected something to happen, but no. He seemed as surprised as me.

"Why can't I used my powers?" He asked, fury burning in his eyes.

 _Right, the power inhibitor_ , I remembered.

"Tony and I created a device that prevent enhanced people or Inhumans from using their abilities inside the facility. We had some… unpredictable issues over the years and decided that for the safety of all, no powers were allowed once you passed the doors."

Everyone still remembered when Wanda had lost control of her power during a training and nearly destroyed the whole basement. Now, apart from the training area, buried under 30 feet of concrete, the entire facility was protected by PIs (power inhibitors).

"That's ridiculous! I won't tolerate it!"

"You can still walk out of the door for all I care, but you would be disappointing you bother once more".

I must have struck a nerve because Loki stopped fussing and sighed haughtily.

"Would you be kind enough as to show me my temporary living quarters?"

Being polite to me seemed to physically pain him, but I complied nonetheless. If he was making an effort to be cordial, I could do it to.

I showed him around the kitchen and the living room, holding back a laugh each time Loki stopped in front of an electrical appliance, like the fridge, the coffee maker, the TV, my laptop, and glared at it as if they had offended him in some way. I tried to explain to him their use and found that while we were talking, the uneasy tension between us lessen. He complained about the crudeness of such barbaric devices, but despite that, he listened to me and asked many questions I never thought I would one day have to answer.

But how do you explain to a Nordic alien God how to use a coffee maker or what was coffee, or the function of a TV?

Yep, that gave a pretty funny and awkward conversation where I tripped over my tongue more time than not and often made a fool of myself. I had the awful feeling that my cheeks would stay red for the rest of my miserable life. Loki must have thought that I was a sorry excuse for a human being… But he said nothing offensive toward be, turning his disdain toward objects he didn't understand the meaning to.

"You humans must really lead uneventful life to devote so much of your time to this… crude way of entertainment", he lashed out against the TV.

Right, maybe showing him a bit of " _Keeping Up with the Kardashians_ " wasn't the best of ideas. But then, I explained to him what Netflix was and he seemed to become a bit more lenient.

At last, I showed him the unused bedroom next to mine and had to fight back the wave of nostalgia that hit me when I opened the door. It used to be Steve's room. I hadn't set foot in here for nearly a year now. I knew there were still some of his clothes in the closet and some of his stuff scattered everywhere, but I had never been able to convince myself to put them away. I still had the crazy hope that he would be back one day…

"Stark, are you unwell?"

Loki abnormally gentle voice woke me up from the cloud of painful memories that clung to my brain. Turning my head towards him, I lied: "I'm fine. Sorry. This is your room, I guess. And please, call me Zacharie. Stark is my Dad…"

He watched me with his too green eyes, his expression unreadable, before stepping into the room. Watching him here was wrong on so many levels I nearly choked. I had to get out of here.

"There are clothes in the closet and the bathroom is just thought that door. Suit yourself."

Without another glance, I closed the door and want back to the living room as fast as I could. Not for the first time, I took my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through my contacts on instinct. I was about to press the call button when I stopped myself. I stared at the profile picture of Steve and me making stupid faces at the camera and felt a sob climbing up my throat. If he had been there, he would have known what to do.

I was lost and overwhelmed and for the first time since I had seen Thor an hour ago, I realized how crazy it all was. I had agree to welcome a notorious murderer, an enemy of the Avengers, into my home and now I was alone with him. Even if Loki couldn't use his powers, he was still deadly. I knew I could trust Thor with my life, but his love for his brother had always been his greatest weakness. He had a blind spot when Loki was concerned. What if he decided to betray Thor once again? What if…

Fear clawing its way up my stomach, my fingers wrapped around the iron wristband I wore. Dad had given it to me for my protection after Ultron. When activated, it was a replica of Iron Man's glowing hand, projecting powerful blasts of energy at will. It reminded me that I wasn't defenseless. And I knew how to fight, Steve and Sam having taught me hand to hand combat. But against an Asgardian as powerful as Loki, I wouldn't stand a chance. If he really wanted to hurt me, he could blast me into outerspace with a simple flick of his fingers.

 _But he hadn't_ , I forced myself to remember.

We had spent nearly an hour alone and he hadn't shown any sign of hostility. He had made abundantly clear that he wasn't happy to be here, but he had been strangely… cordial to me. Not really friendly, but amiable enough. Maybe I was getting a little freaked out for nothing. Maybe he had changed for the better, as Thor had always hoped he would. Trying the keep my cool as much as I could, I gave a last glance at my phone and suddenly saw the time.

 _Crap. I was late… again_.

I had to get back to work but I couldn't let Loki wandering all alone in my home.

"FRIDAY?" I called.

"Yes Miss Zacharie?" Answered the robotic feminine voice.

"Could you send an email to Dad and Agent Hill telling them I'm not feeling well and will stay home for the rest of the day?"

"Do you require medicines?"

"No, FRIDAY, thank you."

When my stomach let out a rumble, I realized I was starving. Would Loki be hungry as well? If he was anything like Thor, he would empty all the content of my fridge in a single meal. Glancing at the closed bedroom door, I decided to be a good host and at least make him sandwiches.

A few minutes later, Loki stepped in the kitchen and I nearly spit out the water I had been drinking. He was only wearing a towel, loosely tied around his narrow hips. The rest of him was gloriously naked and wet. His black hair were hanging in soft curls around his face and his smooth, pale skin glistened. Despite my better judgment, I watched as a single drop of water fell from one of his dark strand to his clavicle, continuing its fall down his finely muscled chest to disappear into his belly button. I had just drank a glass of icy water, but I suddenly felt very hot and my mouth was parched.

Turning away, red as a beetroot, I yelled: "What the fuck? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

I heard him let out a little chuckle but I would rather stab myself in the eye then turn back.

"I was just wondering if you possessed any other clothes than the ones in the closet. They are… not fitting." There was a trace of humor in his voice I found downright insulting.

"No, but I'm sure they'll do for just one day", I answered, closing my eyes to pinch the sides of my nose. I heard his footsteps move away and I waited until he had closed the bedroom door to turn around.

 _Asgardians…_ I thought, rolling my eyes. _They had no decency!_

I touched my cheeks and as I had feared, they were burning up.

 _Yep, another icy glass of water was definitely in order…_

When Loki came back, he was dressed ( _thank God almighty!_ ) in one of Steve old tee-shirt and a pair of black pants that were hanging low on his hips. It was really disturbing, seeing him in such casual clothes. He still oozed haughtiness and power but looked more approachable. I smiled at him while he sat at the kitchen counter, in front of a plate filled with two huge sandwiches.

"Is that for me?" he asked, pointing at the food with a condescending raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I figured you would be hungry."

He stared at me without moving, scanning my face, probably trying to read my mind or something, checking if he could trust me.

"I didn't poison it, if that's what you're afraid of. Eat, I'm sure you'll like it. My cooking skills are not legendary but I can make kick ass sandwiches."

Still silent and without breaking eye contact, Loki took the first one (ham and cheese) and sniffed it. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his attitude.

"You really are a distrusting fellow".

"I don't know you", he finally said with a wolfish smile.

Finally, Loki took a bite and I couldn't help but grin in triumph when his eyes widen in appreciative surprise.

"Told ya!" I said before taking my own sandwich.

We ate in a relatively easy silence. He was still staring with his too intense eyes, as if to assess me or something. It was unnerving. It made me nervous and, when I was nervous, I had the tendency of talking nonsense. This time, sadly, made no exception.

"So", I started after I finished my food. "Loki, why aren't you dead?"

He nearly chocked on his mouthful.

"Are you always this blunt with strangers?"

"Yep!"

His eyes narrowed.

"Come on! Thor will tell me everything anyway, but I would like to hear the story from you."

"My brother does trust you, I know that. He would never have asked you to chaperon me if he didn't. But I don't." Loki said, leaning forward to pin me with a dark glare.

"I don't trust you either. You've tried to kill my friends and my dad on too many occasions. But it doesn't prevent me from being civil. Come on, I'll make you another one of my fabulous sandwiches", I tried.

No answers. Angry eyes. _Okay…_

To give me something to do instead of being glared at, I stood up and started to put the ham and cheese back in the fridge.

"I didn't know that Stark had a progeny".

I turned back to Loki, surprised by the sudden change of topic. He was still watching me, his long fingers tapping of the counter between us.

"It's not really public knowledge. And giving that you are a villain, don't be surprised you didn't receive the memo."

"A villain? Am I really considered as such in your world?" He asked.

"You did try to rule the world and destroyed half of New York, so… pretty much, yeah."

He frowned and a flicker of something akin to discomfort flashed in his eyes. But it was gone before I even blinked.

"What is it like to be the secret daughter of Iron Man?" He inquired.

Why was he so curious about little, insignificant me all of the sudden? Was he trying to play nice? Or just to pass the time before Thor's return?

Anyway, I huffed, sitting back in front of him: "You are interested about my life now? That's rich coming for the guy who just refused to answer my questions."

Loki gave me another one of his wolfish smile. "Trust can only be gained with time and shared experience. Humor me."

It was my turn to assess him with narrowing eyes. I was just about to answer when my front door opened, and Thor walked in. He frowned, scanning the room until he noticed us and smiled.

"I have great news!" He announced, taking the seat next to Loki. "I've talked with Tony and he agreed to give refuge to our people for the time being."

While he talked, I went back to the fridge and took out the biggest sandwich I had ever made. When I gave it to Thor with a tender smile, Loki glared.

 _Yep dude, you have to be nice to deserve the honor to taste this masterpiece._

I only shrugged at him and gave Thor my complete attention. He took a bite of food, hummed in delight and added: "We'll try to find a more definitive place to accommodate them, but we are probably going to have to stay here for a few more weeks. Maybe months."

"Months?" Loki and I said at the same time.

We shared an angry glance before I muttered: "I can't keep him hidden in here for months, Thor. My dad will surely find out and… I don't need another roommate, thank you very much!"

 _And certainly not a gorgeous and untrustworthy God of Mischief!_ I managed not to say it out load, which was a miracle. But the problem remained the same.

"I know you miss Steve, but we don't have a choice. Loki is wanted on Earth and I can't leave my people. I'm their King now. I realize it's a lot to ask, but staying with you is the best thing for him. You'll teach him how to live here, and my room isn't too far from here…"

"Can't you take him?" I pleaded.

"I'm right here, you know. And I can take care of myself", complained Loki.

"No!" Retorted Thor with a booming voice that made both of us go dead silent. "Please, at least for a few days, let's try this. That will give me time to find a more permanent solution."

And with a pleading baby blue eye, Thor had us cornered.

"I'm sure you'll get along. You'll be great roommates", he stated with a beaming smile, wolfing the rest of his meal in two huge bites.

 _Well, I'm not so sure about that…_

* * *

Sparks flies... ans it's just the beginning!


	5. Pizza and TV

**Chapter Four: Pizza and TV**

* * *

For most of the afternoon, we stayed in my flat and Thor told me everything that had happen to him since I last saw him. Loki remained mainly silent, watching our interaction like a hawk. When I took Thor's hand when he related the death of their father and the destruction of his hammer, Loki's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'm so sorry", I simply said, giving my friend what I hoped to be a reassuring smile.

I was shit at comforting people but it seemed to be enough when he smiled back, a sad shadow clouding his clear eye. "For both of you", I added, turning my gaze toward Loki. He was surprised by that, judging by his widening eyes. His back straightened on the couch where we had been sitting for a while now and he simply nod. He probably was trying to hide it, but the death of Odin had saddened him as much as Thor. I knew what it was to lose a parent, even an estranged one. It was never easy.

Thor then told me about Hela, their secret sister and the doom she had brought upon Asgard.

"Did your father really never mentioned her?" I asked, taken aback. My dad was far from perfect but at least, he was honest and would never have kept such a huge secret from me.

"No. But I can understand why. From what I've gathered, they were quite the formidable duo back in the days, destroying and bringing death in their wake. I think he was ashamed of his past, ashamed of her", admitted Thor.

I had never met Odin, but he had always seemed like a benevolent King to me. Not the father of the year, judging by his tumultuous relationship with both his sons, but good to the core.

"Did you know?" I turned my eyes to Loki, who once again, seemed startled I even acknowledged him.

"No, I wish I had known, though. It would have been a relief to learn that I wasn't the only sibling he abhorred."

"Father didn't abhor you, Loki", retorted Thor with a scowl. "He just… didn't understand you".

"He never cared enough to even try to understand me". There was a lot of resentment and sadness in Loki's words and I couldn't help but relate to his bitterness. My own mother had never understood me either. We had a lot more in common then what I initially thought. That unsettled me…

"So, was she the one who took your eye?" My sudden change of topic wasn't really subtle but it worked nonetheless.

While Thor resumed his tale, I saw Loki give me a little nod of gratitude. This subject was still a sore one and would probably always be. When I learned about Asgard's destruction, I couldn't stop the cry that escaped my gaping mouth.

"How does Hulk fit into all this?"

I couldn't help but laugh this time when Thor told me about his misfortunes on Saakar.

"So, let me get this straight. The people you came with, they are all that remains of your entire civilization?" That was so sad I felt tears burn the corner of my eyes.

Thor and Loki shared a wretched look before nodding.

 _OMG… That sucked butt in an intergalactic scale!_

If Loki hadn't been there, I would have probably threw myself in Thor's lap and hugged the shit out of him but I stilled had a little bit of decency left. At least, those unnerving green eyes that seemed stuck to my face were making me self-conscious enough to stop me from making an utter fool of myself.

"Guys, that's awful. I don't even know what to say… Okay, that's decided! We'll have an utterly indecent amount of pizza and spend the night watching stupid comedies. How does that sound?"

I knew I was being ridiculous and that nothing could ease up Thor's and Loki's loss but I didn't know how else to try and make them feel better. Food and laugh had been the best remedy when Jane had dumped Thor, so maybe this would at least make him forget about his pain for a few minutes… Loki was looking at me as if I had just grown a second head, but his brother was smiling.

"Thanks, munchkin", he simply said and I felt like I had won the World's Math Triathlon. Being ridiculous was a small price to pay if the result meant making Thor smile like that.

"Oki doki". I stood up and went back to the kitchen. When I was out of sight, I release a sigh I wasn't even aware I had been holding.

Right. I could do it. It was easy-peasy.

With Thor acting as a buffer between Loki and I, it could work. Of course, he wouldn't be here all the time and sooner rather than later, I would be left alone to face the infamous God of Mischief again. But I knew I could manage it. He really seemed to have change for the better and Thor trusted him. And I trusted Thor…

I had faced a full green Hulk and a bloody murderous Ultron and had survived. Dealing with Loki couldn't be worse than that, right?

 _But you had never wanted to rip_ their _trousers off_ , supplied my very annoying brain.

 _Crap…_ I was in over my head and I knew it, but I would managed to act cool and composed at least for the rest of the day. It wasn't Loki's fault that he was all dark and handsome and that I happened to have a soft spot for lost causes. I was a grown woman with the upmost self-control ( _yep, right… shut up brain!)_ and would help Thor dealing with his brother.

"It's just for a few days", I told myself, while ordering an astronomical amount of pizza.

What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

Later that evening, as we were watching _21 Jump Street_ on Netflix, Loki spending his time saying how ridiculous it all was (even if I saw him smile a few times, the bad sport), someone knocked at my door.

"FRIDAY? Who is it?"

"Mister Stark", announced the A.I.

I nearly fell off the couch. I should have guessed that after sending a note to my father about a false and sudden illness, it was just a matter of time before he would come to check up on me. But I definitely wasn't prepared to deal with it.

"You", I pointed to Loki. "Hide!"

"Where?" He asked, with an imperious raised eyebrow.

"Put him in the bathroom", I told Thor before hurrying toward the door. I knew that if I didn't open it soon enough, my dad would just barged in. It already was a miracle he had knocked in the first place and not just came in without preamble. I waited until I heard Thor come back into the living room before deactivating the lock.

"Hi dad!"

Tony Stark was looking at me with a suspicious frown and without invitation, he walked in.

"You don't seem sick", he pointed out before coming to a stop in the middle of the living room when he saw Thor sprawled on the couch.

"Tony", he acknowledged innocently before taking a bite of the enormous pizza slice he was holding.

"Why am I not surprised?" whispered my Dad, turning back to me.

"Sorry for today, but we had a lot to catch on", I apologized.

I sat back and watch with horror as my father joined us. How long was he planning on staying? Loki would go ballistic if we let him stay locked up in the bathroom all evening. Thor must have had the same thought, because he froze next to me when Tony took a slice a pepperoni pizza.

"What are we watching?" He asked, putting his feet on the coffee table and making himself comfortable.

Thor and I shared a wide eyed look before I suddenly stood up and said: "I need to pee."

 _Whoa… Nice, thank you, brain!_ As if this situation wasn't awkward enough…

I flew out of the living room under surprised eyes and let myself fall against my closed bedroom door. This was such a mess. How would I deal with hiding an Asgardian God in my apartment for weeks, maybe even months, when I wasn't even sure I could survive a single day? And I was crap at lying. My dad would see through me in no time!

 _Stay calm… Breathe…_

I listened to my useful inner voice (for once) and waited until my heartbeat had quieted down before going to the shared bathroom door. When I opened it, I let out a slightly hysterical laugh. Loki, God of Mischief, former King of Asgard, was sitting in the closed lid toilet like if it was a golden throne. He eyed me as if I had lost my mind (which was kind of true) while I burst into laughing at the utter absurdity of the situation.

"Sorry", I hiccupped between breathes. "I think… I'm having… a nervous… breakdown."

I couldn't stop laughing, tears of hilarity falling down my face. Loki was watching me with growing concern, before he stood up and went to the sink. He filled a glass of water and handed it to me, keeping his distance as if I was contagious or something. I drank and the icy feeling slowly soothed my hysterical laughter. Wiping the tears out of my eyes, I went to the sink and splashed my face with freezing water. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I understood why Loki had been staring at me like that. I looked like a lunatic. My cheeks were red, highlighting my freckles, my eyes were huge and wet behind my big glasses and my hair were a mess, untamed dark curls tousled wildly around my face.

 _God… I look awful._

But it was too late to be self-conscious now. I caught Loki's eyes in the mirror and I straighten up, mortified.

"Sorry… it's… it's been a long day", I apologized.

His green eyes flickered with something akin to understanding before he scolded his feature and said: "Am I to understand that Stark has taken my spot on the couch, forcing me to stay here until he decides to leave?"

"Actually, it would be better if you went to the bedroom, just in case. Dad would never set a foot in Steve's old room. You'll be safer there. And more comfortable", I suggested, pointing to the toilet where he had been sitting.

Loki looked into my eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Why did he have to own such beautiful, intense eyes? How was I supposed not to squirm under his stare? Finally, he took pity on me and turned around to walk into the other bedroom. Before closing the door, he asked, glancing above his shoulder: "Steve, he's Captain America, right?"

"Yes", I answered, the old wound still raw in my chest throbbing painfully.

"You lived together?" His question implied a lot of things that I didn't even want to acknowledge.

"He is… was my best friend." I simply clarified.

Loki frowned and I thought for a moment that he looked kind of relieved. But I was probably just imagining things.

"Is he dead?" Came the next unexpected enquiry.

"No, he's just… gone."

Without another word, Loki blinked slowly and closed the door behind him. I leant against the sink, breathing hard. If Loki kept looking at me like that, I would surely die of a heart attack. Like, _soon_.

When I came back to the living room and sat between Thor and my Dad, I still felt slightly shaken. There was something about Loki that deeply unsettled me and I didn't know if I hated it… or liked it. I decided to forget about the alien that was currently hiding in Steve's old room to focus on the movie instead. I shared a slice of pizza with my father, my head tucked against his shoulder and simply enjoyed the fact that I was spending a nice evening with two of my favorite people in the universe. Thor was back and despite all the horrors that he had been through, he was safe. Without realizing it, I fell asleep listening to Thor and Tony Stark argue about Channing Tatum's abs.

Life was strange, but not so bad after all.

* * *

I woke up a couples hours later, I think, when my dad turned the TV off and called my name.

"Zach, baby. I think it's time to put you to bed", he whispered.

"Dad!" I argued, still half asleep. "I'm not a child anymore."

That made Thor laugh. Throwing him an irritated glare, I stretched out and stood up. I walked my dad to the door and let him kiss me on the forehead as we said goodnight. When I was sure he was gone, I turned back to Thor.

"Time to release the beast".

I walked to the bedroom where Loki had been hidden for several hours now, only to find him fast asleep on the bed, a book open in his lap.

That was… ( _not at all endearing!)_ unexpected. He seemed far less threatening right now, his black locks spread around his pale and peaceful face on the pillow. He almost looked… vulnerable. It made my knees go weak a little.

"Should we let him sleep?" I whispered to Thor, who was watching his brother with a fond look.

He put a finger on his lips before nodding and closing the door. "I'll be back tomorrow morning for breakfast, okay? Don't worry about him, he promised to behave. Just… be patient with him. I know he can be a handful but there is good in him. I know it."

I tried to be reassured by Thor's words, but as soon as he left my apartment, I felt a wave of cold dread making its way up my back.

 _It's going to be okay_ , I repeated myself to the hundred's times as I laid in my bed. Just to be sure, I stood up to lock my doors and stayed awake for as long as I could. But I finally fell asleep, dreaming about too green eyes and a wolfish smile.

* * *

What woke me up in the morning wasn't my alarm clock, but the smell of something burning. Jumping out of my bed, I didn't even thought about slipping into a bathrobe before unlocking and opening my door to barge into the kitchen. I stopped dead in my tracks when I discovered what the cause of the awful smell was. I gapped at the scene.

 _What the hell?!_

Thor and Loki were standing in front of the stove, both covered in flour. The counter was scattered with eggshells and spilled milk and what seemed to be a burned pancake was smoking in the pan.

"I don't think it's supposed to have this color", said Loki, looking at the blackened piece of pastry.

"I know what I'm doing, okay?" Retorted Thor. But the way he eyed the smoke coming from the stove meant he was beginning to doubt his cooking skills.

"What the hell?" I said out load this time.

They both turned towards me, like children caught with a hand on the cookie jar. I couldn't help but snort. They were ridiculous. Loki even had floor on his nose. They looked nothing like mighty Gods of Asgard right now. It was time I came to the rescue if I didn't want them burning down my kitchen.

"You two, sit!" I ordered.

I was surprised when they both complied without resistance and came to sit at the counter.

"We wanted to cook you breakfast to thank you for your hospitality", explained Thor. He elbowed Loki so that he would back him up, but the trickster simply shrugged. "That was his idea". Thor must have kicked him under the counter because he let out an undignified yelp before glaring at his brother.

Rolling my eyes at their shenanigans, I turned toward the stove to try and save what was left of breakfast. The pancake batter seemed okay so I decided to keep it. I threw the burned pastry in the trash and picked out the butter in the fridge.

"You need to grease the pan first if you don't want it to burn", I explained while working.

'I told you it didn't have the right color", whispered Loki behind my back.

"Shut up"! Answered Thor.

I smiled at their brotherly banter and barely ten minutes after, I put a plate full of golden and moist pancakes in front of them.

"Et voilà!"

Thor was staring at the baked goods with a dreamy eye but Loki was watching me closely. Only then did I realize I was only wearing a very low cleavage pink tank top with Captain America' shorts Steve had bought me last Christmas, thinking I would find them funny. I loved them, they were comfy but kind of ridiculous and… tiny. I suddenly felt my face heat up. I could feel Loki's eyes going from my chest to my bare legs and it was like they were leaving burning strokes in their wake. His green orbs darkened when I dared crossing path with them and I gulped audibly, suddenly feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

I needed to leave, right now. And to take a _very_ long and _very_ cold shower.

Still feeling Loki's intense eyes on me, I mumbled something intelligible and nearly ran back to my room.

Okay, _that_ definitely was a problem. From now on, I promised to dress like a nun or an Eskimo; I was still debating, as long as Loki would be living here. I could not… I would _NOT_ let myself swoon for a pair of green eyes. Even if they probably were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

Loki was bad news. Loki was dangerous. He was exactly the kind of man I should absolutely stay away from.

 _But how do you stay away from your new roommate when he's placed under house arrest?_

Dwelling on this very upsetting question, I took the coldest shower of my life and when I walked back into the kitchen, I was dressed in an ugly misshapen black sweater and a pair of old jeans. The brothers were still eating and I was surprised to see they had cleaned the kitchen and saved two pancakes for me.

"You are strangely well behaved all of the sudden", I said, sitting back with them. Thor gave me his trade mark shit eating smile and I knew I wouldn't like what he was about to ask me. Loki ate in silence, his face expressionless.

"I'll be busy all day organizing things for our people around the compound. Could you keep company to Loki while I'm gone?" Finally asked Thor.

"I've work to do, you know and… I'm not his babysitter", I complained.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I can take care of myself without anyone's supervision?" Added Loki with a dark frown.

"Please guys. Just for today. I promise tomorrow you'll be able to go back to your daily routine".

His damned blue eye should be illegal. Or I needed to build a device that would make me immune to its power. But it wasn't for today, and unfortunately and all too soon, Thor left and I was once again left alone with the God of Mischief.

When I get back to the kitchen, he was visibly forlorn and as frustrated as me.

"Is it what my life is going to be now? Eating pizza and watching TV all day long?" He asked.

"You won't have to eat pizza every day but… yes, I guess. At least until Thor finds a way to introduce you back into society without causing bloodshed. What did you do when you were pretending to be a King?"

At least I was trying to make an effort. Our cohabitation would be hell if he insisted on being this pratty. It wasn't like it was my fault. I was only trying to help…

"I didn't pretend", he pointed out, taking a step towards me in outrage. "I was a King. And a pretty good one I might add. Asgard prospered under my rule. My people were happy."

Putting my hands on my waist, I gave him an unconvinced look.

"Fine, there may have been some diplomatic issues from time to time, and one or two executions, but I wasn't _that_ bad", he admitted with a roll of his eyes.

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it."

Like a petulant child, he went to the living room and sat heavily on the couch, brooding. "I'll die of boredom, locked up in this place."

"You could also use all this _free_ time to learn more about Earth's culture. I have books and you wouldn't believe how many good documentaries you can find on TV. It's not like you have any other choice anyway…" I suggested.

Loki must have sense my helplessness because he nodded. Reluctantly, but it was a start. I remembered that I had an old tablet I barely used anymore I could give him. I would just have to teach him how to use the Internet and he would have enough to keep him occupied. At least for a few days, I hoped.

"Come, I've something for you".

He followed me to my room where I stopped in front of a tall bookshelf. I remembered I had put the tablet on top of it with various items I never used. But even on my tip toes, I could barely reach the last shelf.

"Could you help me, please, I can't reach…" I let out an unbecoming squeal when, instead of using his height to grab it himself, Loki took me by the waist and lifted me up as if I weighted nothing. It was downright humiliating… and far too hot for my barely maintained sanity. Even through the thick wool of my jumper, I could still feel his hand burning my skin. His strong fingers marked my waist like branding iron and I was suddenly breathless. I still managed to grab the tablet with a trembling hand and closed my eyes until Loki decided to put me down.

Once back on my feet, I turned around and realized it had been a mistake. He was standing so close I could see each one of his long and dark lashes fanning across his high cheekbones as he looked down at me.

 _Fuck, he was handsome…_

With pale skin and gleaming eyes and a proud nose and pink lips which were stretched in a lopsided grin. And he probably knew I was entranced by his physical perfection, the twisted fucker! I was blushing like a damned fool and I bet my pupils were awfully wide.

"You…" I managed to croak. "You could have just grabbed it yourself, you know."

"Oh, I know, but it would have been far less fun", he soughed against my ear.

He had a fresh and minty smell that was heady. I could feel the warmth of his skin, so close to mine, I tingled all over. An alarm blurted into my head when his smile became playful.

Okay! That was enough! _Keep it together Zach!_

With a strength I didn't even know I had, I walked around him and put as much space between us as possible. I left my room and came to sit on the armchair instead of the couch. With a devilish smile, Loki joined me and sat in front of me, his eyes never leaving my burning face. Avoiding his gaze, I gave him the tablet and retrieved my fingers before they could touch his.

"Right" I cleared my throat. "Pay attention, I've got a lot to show you."

When he let out a little laugh and glanced at me from underneath his lashes, I knew I was screwed.


	6. Weird

**Chapter Five: Weird**

I spent the rest of the morning explaining to Loki how to surf the web. He picked up the basics pretty quickly and I wasn't surprised when the first thing he did was checking out his own name on Google.

 _Figures…_

"Your people really believe the strangest things. I have never fathered an eight legged horse and I have NEVER transformed into a woman to try and trick my brother. It's preposterous!" He grumbled, looking at the tablet as if it had personally insulted him.

I couldn't help but laugh at his outraged face. "Yes, our mythologies can be quite ridiculous sometimes", I conceded.

We remained silent as he went on searching for random things on the Internet, ranting about this and that in irritated whispers. I used this relatively companionable peace to check out my own work on my laptop and send a few emails. But all too soon, Loki lifted his eyes toward me and said: "I'm hungry".

Kind of peckish myself, I went to the kitchen. "I'll have to show you how to use the stove because I won't be here all the time and you'll have to cook your own meals."

"Why?" He asked, sitting at his usual spot at the counter.

"Because I have a life and I'm not your _damned_ housemaid. Starting from tomorrow, you'll have to manage all on your own. But it won't be that complicated given that you, and I quote 'Can take care of yourself without a chaperon'", I answered with a little mocking smile.

He didn't seem to like that I used his own words against him. He was brooding. _What a prat…_

"I've always had people serving me. I'm a King. Kings do not cook their own meals".

Turning from the fridge to face him, I lifted a derisive eyebrow. "You're not a King anymore, Thor is and trust me when I say that despite the pancake debacle from this morning, he definitely can cook his own gigantic meals. So deal with it!"

He glared at me with a darkening face but I stood my ground. "It's this or you'll just starve. I couldn't care less, really", I added before starting to make the spaghetti Bolognese I had planned for lunch.

"Fine, wench! Show me", he finally agreed, reluctantly coming to stand beside me.

I decided not to mention the " _wench_ " comment and started to explain to a freaking Asgardian God how to make pasta. My life really was strange…

While we waited for the water to boil, I could feel Loki standing far too close behind me. I didn't like that, or more accurately, I liked it far too much. Turning to face him, I saw the way he was looking at me, with hooded eyes and a predatory smile.

 _No way! I would not_ _fall into that trap!_

"Let me stop you right there, Romeo", I stated, pushing against his chest to make him step back. But he barely budged.

 _Bloody Asgardians…._ I sidetracked him to maintain a certain distance between us and stopped him when he moved forward. "This", I added, my hands moving wildly from him to me. "The two of us", I emphasized, wanted to be crystal clear. "It's not going to happen. Like EVER!"

"Why?" Asked Loki, visibly surprised. "I know that you find me attractive." The wolfish smile was back but I would not let myself be blinded by his charms.

"Of course I find you attractive, I'm not blind! But that doesn't mean I'm going to jump your bones. I… I don't even like you!"

"Trust me, for what I have in mind, you don't need to like me", he said with a voice as soft and sensual as silk and melted honey combined. He took another step forward, my outstretched hand coming to rest on his chest.

 _Oh boy…_ I could feel his strong muscles under my fingers. My heart was beating so fast I felt dizzy.

"That's the main problem, dude. I don't trust you. So, for the last time, I said NO." My refusal was final and I hoped he got the message or I'll have to use my wristband…

But before I could form another threat in my head, Loki raised his hands in surrender and took a step back. "Fine. But if you change your mind…"

"I won't change my mind", I cut aggressively, more for my own weakened knees than anything else.

"Then, why are you so nice to me?" He asked with visible frustration.

It was like he failed to grasp why anyone would show any kindness to him without having an ulterior motive. That was… kind of sad, really. All anger leaving my body, I went back to the stove to put the pasta into the now boiling water and was happy to see that Loki kept his distance.

"Because Thor asked me to take care of you, and I don't want to disappoint him. At least we have that in common", I answered with a shrug.

"Oh, I get it, you are one of _those_ girls". The derision in his voice was palpable.

"What does _that_ mean?"

"Don't play coy. You like him."

"Of course I like him, he's my friend. What…" and suddenly, I understood what he meant and wanted to laugh and puck at the same time.

Facing Loki, the wooden spoon I was holding waving wildly, I snorted. "No! I have never and will never like him like that. Yes, he's hot, but he's like a brother to me. And, if you really want to know, he's not really my type."

"And what is _your_ type?" Loki asked as if not being attracted to his brother was abnormal or something.

I turned back to the stove again and without really thinking ( _thank you, useless brain_ ), I answered: "Thor's too broad and muscular and… blond. I like them slenderer and dark." Only when I heard Loki snort did I realize what I just said and faced him, a wild blush burning my cheeks.

He had that smile again…

 _Well done, Zach! You've just admitted to the bloody God of Mischief that he was the embodiment of your wildest fantasy. Nice…_

"That's… I didn't mean…" I mumbled like an idiot.

"Don't fret, wench", Loki said, interrupting me with a raised hand. His eyes were so intense I could probably have lost my very soul in them if he hadn't turned to the stove and added: "What do you do now?"

Very thankful for his unusual gallantry, I let out a little relieved sigh and resumed my cooking lesson. My skin was still crawling with delicious and dangerous little shivers when Loki stood too close for comfort or frowned when he asked silly and cute questions, (like what was the right amount of Bolognese to put on your spaghetti) but I managed without making a total fool of myself.

We ate in relative silence and Loki even complimented my cooking skills.

Why had he decided to act less _pratily_ now, just when I had convinced myself that disliking him was the best way to make him less attractive? He would be much more difficult to hate if he became tolerable.

 _Crap… Crap. CRAP!_ I just hoped he would be back to his smug and pratty self soon.

* * *

The rest of the day past agonizingly slow. I showed Loki how to use the oven, described the content of my fridge and cupboards and added several useful website to his tablet's bookmarks. After that, I honestly didn't know what to do. So I simply sat on the couch and worked from my laptop, hoping that Thor would be back soon so I could escape the uneasy tension that hovered over both our heads. Loki seemed okay with it, his eyes glued to his tablet' screen all afternoon. I could feel him stare at me from time to time but I didn't dare looking up.

Finally, at seven o'clock, Thor came in with his usual beaming smile. As soon as I saw him, I stood up and flew out of the flat as if it was on fire.

I really needed to get some air.

Roaming the corridors of the compound, I decided to go check on my latest project. Work had always been a great stress reliever for me. On my way to the science laboratory, I crossed path with a young man who seemed utterly lost. It was obvious he was one of the Asgardian refugee, with his long braided hairs and his dumbstruck look. He was wearing earth clothes, a plain white shirt and blue slacks, probably some standard military casual outfit my Dad's employees had given him. But there was something noticeably alien about him.

I couldn't help but think that I would have to find Loki some clothes that fitted him better than the ones in Steve's old closet. But I kicked this though out of my mind as soon as the man bright hazel eyes found mine.

 _He was cute…_ Was it an Asgardian's trait or something?

He had light brown hairs, a proud chin and broad shoulders. Not really my type, but I was so done with tall dark and broody men that I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Can I help you?" I asked, stopping to face him.

"Yes, thanks Odin. I think I must have taken a wrong turn. I was looking for the dining room", he explained, visibly relieved.

"I can take you there, it's not far. I'm Zach, by the way". I outstretched my hand towards him and he looked at it strangely. "That's how we introduce ourselves on Earth. We shake hands", I explained.

With a warm smile, he delicately took my fingers and brought them to his lips. "I'm Kennan. And that's how a gentleman introduce himself to a lovely lady on Asgard", he sought against my hand before lightly kissing my knuckles.

I knew I was blushing but with Kennan, it bothered me far less than with Loki. Once again admonishing myself for thinking about him when I was facing a far gentler and nicer Asgardian, I took my hand back and asked Kennan to follow me. We chatted on our way to the cafeteria. He told me that everything seemed so strange to him here, but that he appreciated our hospitality. I vaguely explained what kind of work I was doing and before I realized it, we were standing in front of the dining hall.

"Would you care to join me?" Asked Kennan, bowing his head with a flourish.

I wasn't the kind of girl to fall for mushy gestures like that, but I found his chivalry refreshing. So, I agreed. We walked in and waited in line. At this hour, the cafeteria was crowded but I could see Cheryl and Tom, two of my coworkers, waving at me from a table. Kennan must have seen them because he asked: "Would you mind if we dined alone? I still feel out of my element."

I didn't mind at all. This guys was charming and it had been far too long since anyone had shown any interest in me. We selected our food, Kennan following my lead and we sat at a two seat table in the corner.

"So, Zach. Tell me more about this fascinating work you are conducting", he started.

His eyes were bright and he really seemed interested in what I was doing.

 _Okay… he was definitely cute!_

I was in the middle of explaining him the next step in my project when my cell phone chimed in my pocket.

"Sorry", I apologized, taking it out. It was a text from my dad. He was asking me to join him in his office ASAP. "I've to go, Kennan. But it was a pleasure meeting you."

I was already halfway up when he took my hand and asked: "Would you agree to meet me here tomorrow evening?"

Was it a date? My stomach felt strangely hollow at the thought. But I remembered I had promise Thor we would eat together.

"I can't but… maybe the day after tomorrow at noon?" I offered.

Kennan smile was blinding. Once again kissing my knuckles, he let go of my hand and nodded. "I can't wait. Good evening, my lady."

Oh… I was blushing again. I was far too sensitive to Asgardian's charm for my own good. I wished him goodnight as well and nearly ran out of the cafeteria. I only stopped when I reached my dad's office. Standing in front of his door, I took a deep breath and checked that my cheeks were no longer burning before putting my hand on the panel on the wall.

"Welcome, Miss Zacharie", announced FRIDAY's feminine robotic voice.

The gate opened and I walked into Tony Stark's office. The man himself was standing in front of one of his holographic wall, his fingers moving wildly on the board.

"Hi kiddo," he said without even glancing my way.

I went to him and he gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before turning back to the board. I glanced at it and rolled my eyes. "Don't tell me you're still working on this stupid tracking device!"

"It's not stupid. It will be very useful when the Avengers…"

"What Avengers? Half the team is scattered to the wind", I interrupted, unable to bite back my resentment.

That at least made Tony stop staring at his board to look my way. He watched me closely and I knew he could still see fresh pain in my face. I felt guilt gnaw at my insides when his eyes clouded in remorse. I didn't want to blame him. He wasn't the only guilty party in this story…

Putting a hand on his arm, I took a step forward and smiled apologetically. He grinned back, still a little sad and cupped my face, boring his eyes into mine.

"How are you, baby? I was told you weren't back at work today."

Softened by his concern, I answered: "I'm okay now. I'll be back tomorrow, I promise. How are things with the Asgardians?"

The change of subject was a relief. We sat on the couch near his big desk, scattered with so many unfinished devices it barely looked like a desk anymore, more like a garbage dump.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've given them restricted access to the facility and we need to upgrade some of the security doors. I don't want them to walk the corridors at will, but we'll have to add their fingerprints to the mainframe so they can access some parts of the building like the gardens and the training courts. I want them to feel at home for the duration of their stay. Thor and I are already trying to find a place far enough from society where they could live and preserve their culture but it'll take some time. Thunderbolt is being a bitch, as usual… Could you take care of the security updates in the meantime? You'll just have to enter their names and scan their palms to the main computer. I trust it won't be too difficult for you, you seem to already like their company."

His last sentence gave me pause and I froze. Dread infuse itself into my blood and I straighten up. Did my dad knew about Loki? No… he couldn't. If he knew, he would have gone ballistic…

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, fear still seizing my chest.

"I meant the far too handsy guy who you eat with just a few minutes ago".

 _Oh! Kennan! Thank you lord…_

Letting out a sigh of relief, I then squinted my eyes at my dad. "How do you know about that?"

His innocent expression had never fooled me, it was preposterous he still thought that using it would work on me.

"Dad!" I yelled, standing up in incredulity. "When are you going to stop spying on me? I'm 25 for Godsake!

"You'll always be my little girl", he simply stated, sounding very much like Thor when I had asked him to stop calling me _munchkin_.

 _God, they were unbelievable!_

"For you information, his name is Kennan and he's not _handsy_ , he is quite a gentleman, actually", I found myself clarifying.

"Well, I don't like him", stated Tony, crossing grumpily his arms over his chest.

"You don't even know him, dad! And you've never like any of my boyfriend anyway."

"So he's your boyfriend now?" He stood up with a stormy face.

"No! I barely know him. But he's nice and all. It's been so long since any guy has shown any interest towards me. Please dad, don't scare him away", I pleaded.

"It's because you're far too good for them. They don't dare ask you out", said Tony before putting an arm over my shoulder and hugging me into this chest.

"Yeah, that's probably it." I mumbled against his shoulder.

I didn't have the heart to burst his little fatherly bubble. The truth was, I was weird. And even if I wasn't downright ugly, I hadn't inherited my dad's charm. He could make any women swoon with a single wink. I was just… ordinary. But if he saw me as beautiful and bright, it was fine by me. At least, to his eyes, I was worth everything. And it was enough for me.

I made him promise to drop this Kennan business and left. I still went to my lab and tinkered with my project until my eyes watered and I let out a huge yawn. I couldn't avoid my flat forever. So, with a slight feeling of dread tickling my neck, I went back to my apartment.

I found Loki and Thor sitting on the couch, talking. When they heard me come in, they stopped their conversation and both looked up at me.

"Hi guys. Everything okay?" I asked, uncomfortable under their intense stare.

"Everything's fine", answered Thor but I knew he was lying.

It was late and I didn't want to intrude any longer so, after wishing them goodnight, I flew into my room. Before I closed the door, I'm pretty sure I heard Loki say: "She's weird". Thor only laughed.

Yep. _Weird…_


	7. The New Normal

**Chapter Six: The New Normal**

The next few days were pretty uneventful and I barely saw Loki. When I woke up to go to work, he was still sleeping in Steve's (no, _his_ ) room and when I came back in the evening, we barely exchanged a few words before he disappeared behind the bedroom door.

 _Strange…_ But it suited me. I could at last concentrate on my work and forget about his haughtily presence. Every night, I walked in thinking I would find my kitchen burned down or my apartment ransacked, but no. Loki was a neat freak and everything was spotless. He only honored me with his presence when Thor came to eat dinner with us.

I had had lunch with Kennan three times already and we rapidly decided to eat together every day at noon. He was a great guy, funny and interesting, but I couldn't help but think that he was too good to be true and that one day, the other shoe would drop.

On our first weekend of forced cohabitation, Loki and I found ourselves alone in the flat and in each other's company for two days. Thor was unavailable and couldn't play buffer between us. I was dreading it so much…

When I woke on Saturday morning, far later than usual, Loki was already up and about. I went to the kitchen and saw him sitting at the counter in front of a steaming cup of tea. Thor and I had brought him more fitting clothes earlier in the week and he was now wearing a long sleeved black shirt with sleeping pants.

"Good morning", I said, rubbing my eyes behind my glasses and yawning.

He didn't say anything, just watched me while I was making coffee.

"You're not working today?" He finally asked when I sat, facing him.

"Never on Saturday and Sunday, it's called a weekend and most people on Earth use those days to relax and have fun", I explained.

He frowned and I didn't know if it meant he was just finding it strange or if he was displease to hear he would have to spend two whole days with me.

"Do you want some pancakes?" I asked, feeling it would maybe brighten the uneasy atmosphere.

"Yes, it would be nice", he said with a shrug.

Giving him a shy smile, I stood up and rummage through my cupboards and the fridge to find what I needed to make the mix. Knowing he ate a lot, I took out a big bowl as well and started to work. Loki came at my side and watched me and for once, his presence didn't upset me that much. I felt strangely at ease and content, with him next to me, silently learning the recipe.

"You're making a lot of pastry", noticed Loki.

"I've seen you eat, I'm making just enough, trust me", I answered with a little laugh.

I glanced at him and saw he was watching me with a lopsided grin.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing", he said, shaking his head.

I made at least fifteen pancakes and we started to eat without talking. It wasn't uncomfortable, but the silence was a little unnerving. And I was a chatterbox by nature, so I decided to say something, anything, really, to put an end to it.

"So, how do you find Earth so far?" I asked.

Loki lifted his eyes to mine. "I can't really tell, seeing I only stepped outside to get from the ship to this place", he answered with a nasty smile.

"I can understand how frustrating it must be, but…"

"No, you don't!" He snapped, stabbing his pancake forcefully with his fork. "You are free to go wherever you want while I'm stuck here!"

"You don't have to be a jerk about it. It's not my fault you're wanted to Earth", I retorted, feeling anger bubbling up my chest.

"Your pitiful people crave subjugation, I was only trying to lead you into a more glorious path".

When he said it, Loki really looked like the crazed and vicious alien that had attacked Earth all those years ago. I had never faced this part of him before and it was pretty disturbing.

Was he trying to scare me? Because if he was, it wasn't working. I was more pissed than anything else. Standing up, I wanted to throw my cutlery at his face so much my knuckled cracked around my fork.

"My _pitiful_ people, as you call them, are the ones who agreed to save yours from extinction, you smug prat! So I wouldn't be so insulting if I were you. You don't know us. We don't crave subjugation, we fight against it since the dawn of time. It's people like you who are the problem, the bullies, the self-proclaimed kings and Gods. You brought this situation on yourself, jerk!"

 _Whoa…_ I didn't know I had such repressed anger. Loki was really bringing out the worst in me.

He stood to face me, his feature dark and his glare murderous.

"You listen, you insignificant little idiot. You know nothing of the universe. You and your people are nobody, merely a blip in time. I am ageless and I know, I've lived thing you can't even begin to understand. If I had my powers, you…"

I had had enough of it. Without my brain's consent, my hand flew to his cheek and I hit him so hard my entire arm tingled in pain. But the main things was that I had cut his garbage monologue and he was gaping at me, speechless.

With an ugly smile, I sniggered: "Yes, but you don't and you're stuck with me, pal. On _my_ planet, at _my_ people's will. So stop your whining and deal with it like the _ageless_ being you're supposed to be, you intergalactic prat. I'm not afraid of you."

On this, I took the plate of remaining pancakes and threw them in the trash. "No pancakes for you!" I shouted before leaving the kitchen in hurried step. I locked my bedroom door behind me and let out an angry roar.

 _What a complete jerk!_ I hated him!

* * *

I spent the rest of the morning reading on my bed and when I came out to make myself a sandwich, Loki was nowhere to be seen. Seeing as he couldn't leave the flat, I guessed he was brooding in his room.

 _Good riddance!_ He would come out when he would realized what a jerk he had been!

 _God, I felt like I was dealing with a bloody child!_

I watched some chick-flicks on Netflix all afternoon without seeing Loki rear his head. But near six o'clock, probably motivated by his stomach since he had skipped lunch, the Asgardian walked out of his room. When he saw me on the couch, I thought he would turn around of go hide in the kitchen, but no. To the contrary, he smiled wickedly and came to sit on the armchair next to me. Pausing " _Princess Bride_ ", I turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Why are you smiling like that? I don't like it", I asked, dread tightening my chest.

"You're just not what I expected", he answered cryptically.

Frowning, my brain kicked in and finally, an answer formed into my head. But it wasn't possible. Surely, Loki wasn't that nasty and manipulative… But I had forgotten who I was talking to.

"Did you… did you say all those awful things about my people just to… what? Trick me? See how I would react to your utter prattiness?"

"Maybe", he only said with a shrug, his shiteating smile widening.

 _Sonofabitch!_ It was perhaps even worse than if he had really meant those horrible things.

 _What a manipulative jerk!_

I realized I had said that last sentence out load when Loki burst out laughing, surprising me.

"God of Mischief", he gave as an explanation.

"Why in God's name did you do something so… awful?" I couldn't help but ask.

My disgust seemed to really entertain him.

"I couldn't understand why my brother trusted you this much, but I do now. You're a feisty little thing. You're loyal and don't back down from a fight. I can appreciate it, especially in a woman." He clarified, his grin glued to his face.

I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or slap him again. At least, I was relieved to learn he hadn't mean what he had said about Earth. But I didn't know if I would one day trust such a man, who used deception and manipulation to get his way.

"I don't like being deceived like that. If you really want trust to go both ways, please never do that again".

His eyes sparkled with mirth. "Or what? You'll deprive me of pancakes again?"

"Maybe". He wasn't the only one who could use this answer as a default setting.

His eyes widen in genuine dread.

 _Guys and their stomach…_

Still a little uneasy, I ordered us Chinese and we ate in the kitchen. Loki was the one who tried to initiate conversation, talking about the food and his newfound passion for eggrolls, but I mainly stayed silent. I was lost in my thoughts and couldn't wait to be alone again so I could reflect about what had happened today. Loki really was a complicated guy and I still didn't really understand him. Maybe I never would. But I hated the thought of living with someone so untrustworthy. I only hoped that Thor would find another place for him sooner rather than later, because I didn't know if my sanity would survive being the God of Mischief roommate for long…

* * *

Sunday passed in a blur; where I mainly stayed in my room and spend the late afternoon with Uncle Jim (Rhodes), my Dad and Pepper. I barely saw Loki and when I went home that night, he was in his room. The tension between us hadn't loosen since his little manipulation and I was afraid it would never get easier. But, it was a few days later, after one tiring Thursday afternoon, that my whole routine changed suddenly.

I went home earlier than usual that day, too exhausted to go back to my lab after spending hours scanning all the Asgardians' fingerprints. When I walked in, I found Loki sprawled in the couch, watching Netflix. And he seemed engrossed enough by the TV not to hear me come in. When I sneaked up behind him to check what he was watching with such rapture, my eyes widen.

"Are you watching _Star Trek_?"

My question startled him enough to make him leap from the couch. "I wanted to learn how your people saw aliens and found myself engrossed by this adventure", he judged useful to explained, as if he had to justify his actions.

"You won't get any complain from me. I love _Star Trek_!"

Simply nodding, Loki sat back and resumed watching the screen as if I wasn't even there. I debated with myself what to do. In one hand, I was tired and could use a good nap, but I really loved this show and it would be good for our relationship (or lack of, more accurately) if we could learn to at least bear each other's company. I told myself that I was doing it for Thor, but really, I was intrigued to see what Loki found that fascinating about _Star Trek_.

"If you want to get the full binge-watching experience, you'll need popcorn", I decided.

I could feel Loki watching me while I disappeared in the kitchen. When I came back with the biggest bowl of popcorn ever, I put it in the coffee table.

"Scootch", I said.

Loki folded his tall legs to give me room on the couch. He glanced at me from time to time, as if to make sure I wasn't leaving, before he engrossed himself back into the story that was unfolding before his eyes.

At the end of the episode, while waiting for a new one to charge, I picked up the bowl of popcorn and put it between us on the couch. "Help yourself. I'm sure you'll love it." I had noticed that Loki had a sweet tooth, the chocolate and biscuits inside my cupboard disappearing at an alarming rate.

 _Thank God I had a secret stash in my room…_

He looked at the popcorn with uncertainty, before trying some. One minute later, he was eating them by handful. I held back a laugh and turned my attention back to the TV.

"Oh! It's Khan's episode. It's one of my favorite", I revealed with enthusiasm.

At the beginning, Loki said nothing and I gathered that he was the kind of person who enjoyed silence while watching TV, but near the end of the episode, he said: "I don't understand why they think this Khan character is a villain. He seems like a pretty decent guy to me."

"I shouldn't be surprised", I smiled.

Of course Loki would rule for one of the biggest bad guy of the franchise.

I thought he was about to resume his silent watching when he suddenly pressed pause and turned toward me. "There is one thing I don't understand. Why is Kirk losing his time seducing so many random women when he has a perfectly suitable mate in his crew?"

I nearly chocked on my popcorn.

"What do you mean?" I was almost afraid to ask.

"Spock, obviously!" Loki seemed really passionate about this and something in my chest fluttered. Was Loki a bloody fanboy at heart? Did he even realize that they were just fictional characters? Okay, now I was laughing. And having real fun.

Straightening up, I faced him and couldn't hide my excitement when I said: "Oh man, and you haven't even seen the half of it. Wait until we watch _Amok Time_ , it the worst!"

"Then, let's watch it", decided Loki with the utmost seriousness.

He didn't need to ask me twice. Taking the controller from his outstretched hand, I selected the right episode and snuggled back into the couch.

"Be ready to get blinded by so much homoerotic feelings you won't see straight for hours", I warned. Usually, people looked at me like a lunatic when I said those kind of things. But Loki just snorted and shook his head in utter amusement.

"I'm ready", he simply said with a little smile that left me breathless.

Yep. I loved _Star Trek_.

* * *

We spend the entire evening and a good part of the night binge-watching my favorite episodes completely out of order and honestly had a lot of fun. We discussed about nearly every aspects of the show and I was this close to play the first of the most recent movies, where one of the actors really looked like Thor, when I saw the hour.

"Crap, I didn't realize it was this late".

Like if the strange spell that had kept us enjoying each other company had abruptly shattered, the playful sparkle in Loki's eyes died off. I felt very cold and empty all of the sudden. I didn't realize how much I had missed freely exchanging easy banter with someone without thinking of the consequences. Since Steve, I barely had any fun at all. And even if it was with Loki, of all people, I didn't want it to end.

"Raincheck?" I offered, not wanting to sound too hopeful. And to my utmost surprise, Loki nodded.

"Okay… goodnight, I guess". I stood up from the couch and felt light and giddy.

 _What was happening to me?_

"Sleep well, Zach", Loki said.

It was the first time he called me by my name and not "wench" or "Stark". It did crazy little thing to my insides.

When I jumped into my bed, I felt conflicted. Loki was a bad guy, but he was cool. He could be as cold as ice, but was funny. Loki was complicated. And God knows how much I loved solving puzzles.

* * *

When I went to the kitchen to eat breakfast thenext morning, feeling far more chipper than usual, there was a note on the counter. Picking it up, surprised, I realized that it was a shopping list.

If Loki wanted me to pick up groceries, he could have just asked me _… So much for being less pratty…_

How he even knew about shopping lists totally escaped me, but I guessed that after spending ungodly hours on the Internet, he must have picked out useful things about Earth's everyday life… Like groceries.

But I realized that now that I had another roommate that ate a gargantuan quantity of food, I really needed to fill up my nearly empty cupboards. It wasn't like Loki could go to the nearest store and buy groceries by himself. Reading the list while drinking my morning coffee, I saw that he had added chocolate chips with a hasty hand at the very end.

 _Why would we need chocolate chips for?_

Shrugging, I left a note of my own on the counter saying that I would be late this evening because I had to go bloody shopping. I didn't know where this sudden domestic nonsense came from, but it reminded me of a better time, when Steve and I used to leave each other funny post-its everywhere in the apartment. I kinda liked it.

I had lunch with Thor and my dad at noon, Kennan being detained doing God knows what. We had barely sat down when my father looked at me with a frown.

 _What? Did I have something on my nose?_

"You seem… I don't know, brighter, today baby," Dad noticed.

"Is it because of Kennan?" Asked Thor, raising a suggestive eyebrow.

With an exaggerated roll of eyes, I pleaded: "Could you two stop meddling with my love life, please?"

"Love life, eh?" Added the Asgardian while Tony groaned: "I don't like it."

 _God! They were worse than a mother hen!_

If I had woken up with a smile on my face, that was a good thing, right? It was because today was sunny and it was Friday and yes, I had kind of a date with Kennan on Sunday, but it wasn't that much of a change in demeanor on my part. I was a cheery person to begin with. No use mentioning it or trying to find causes for my sudden _brightness_ ( _thank you, Dad_ ). I had had a good night sleep, that's why I felt cheerier today. It had nothing to do with anything remotely linked to my love life or the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about Loki' smile.

 _Nope. Nothing. NOT A THING._

"Let's talk about something else, shall we? What did you two have been up to?" I was the best at changing subjects and while Thor lunged into the tale of his daily duties at the facility, I let out a discreet sigh.

 _Asgardians were really a nuisance…_

I learned that Hulk seemed to be behaving but that Banner still had not reappeared, despite my dad's best efforts. They needed Natasha, but she had vanished at the same time as Steve and was sneaky enough never to be found if she wanted to. For once, I kind of missed her…

* * *

After work, I commandeered Thor to come with me to the store to get groceries. Most of it would obviously be for his brother, so the least he could do was to help me carry the enormous and heavy bags… He agreed with a smile and a shrug, saying it would do him good to get out of the compound for a while. I had to smother a laugh and nearly bite my lips hard enough to draw blood when I saw him contort himself when he got into my minuscule car. Dad had tried to buy me one of those large SUVs, but I was tiny and my little Mini was far easier to park (especially in New York). The mighty Thor look kind of ridiculous with his knees pressed against his chest, sitting in my passager seat.

"I never understood why women enjoyed small and cute things. It's not practical at all!" He muttered as I started the car.

"Because we don't have anything to prove", I winked.

Thor frowned, not getting it and I snorted. I was definitely not going to start a conversation about big cars and masculinity.

We drove in relative silence and a few minutes later, I parked into the nearest supermarket. When we got out, I took care of getting us a cart while Thor, impressive even dressed in mundane clothes, was waiting for me. He had put some sunglasses on, probably trying to hide his identity, but he still attracted all the eyes of the people nearby. Even with short hair, Thor was pretty recognizable.

"You look like a starlet. Take these off. It's nearly nighttime, the only things you'll do is attract even more attention to yourself", I warned.

Thor looked around us and saw I was right. A group of teenagers already had their smartphone raised in the air and were taking pictures of us. I had nearly forgotten how it felt like to walk around in the outside world with an Avenger at my side. With Steve, it had been the worst, people constantly stopping us in the streets to take selfies or shake his hand. I had always felt invisible next to him…

Thinking about Steve bringing far too many nostalgic memories, I shook my head and ushered Thor inside. While I was choosing between several brand of milk (seeing as Loki made an inhuman consumption of it), Thor asked: "How… how are thing with my brother?"

Glancing at him, I saw he felt uneasy, checking out a pack of yogurts instead of looking at me.

"Things are better", I admitted, putting five huge bottles of milk into the cart. Thor lifted an eyebrow at that and I just shrugged. "We actually had a Netflix marathon last night".

"What that's supposed to mean?" Asked Thor, taking charge of pushing the cart when he saw I was already struggling.

 _Bloody Asgardians…_

"Nevermind. What's important is that we found common ground, mostly. We're not besties but… we can at least talk without things getting awkward." I explained.

Thor looked at me strangely. I didn't know what he saw in my face but he suddenly frowned. "Be careful, Zach." I knew that he was dead serious when he used my name. _He never called me Zach…_ "I know my brother and I'm trying to give him another chance, but… just… don't fall for him, okay?"

I felt my eyes bulge out of their socket.

 _WTF?_

I wasn't and I would never fall in love with Loki! It was true, he was handsome, but I wasn't some clueless clot who swooned before the first pretty face. I knew Loki' story and that he was dangerous. I would never be stupid enough to fall for him…

"That's not going to happen, Thor. I promise you. Hell would freeze over before I decide to fall for the God of Mischief", I answered with a very unladylike snort.

Thor was still looking at me with a serious face. "He can be very charming when he wants to be so… just, please, for me, don't let yourself get fooled."

Smiling at him to definitely put his mind at ease, I promised. I wasn't interested in Loki anyway, he was far too smug and pratish for my taste. I preferred nice guys. Moreover, I was far too busy with my work and focused on starting something with Kennan to fall for _Loki_ of all people.

Putting this ridiculous thought out of my mind, I resumed picking out groceries, Thor adding the most preposterous things to the cart from time to time. It was like going shopping with a child…

Nobody was brave enough to come and talk to us, but the God of Thunder was positively recognized by many of the people we passed. Happy to just chat and enjoy my friend's company without interruption, we got out nearly an hour later with so many bags I thought I was hallucinating. Like a huge and blond mule, Thor carried them all into the car, leaving me with only a pack of chips and apples, despite my annoyance. We drove back to the facility, my car weighting much more than usual, and we used my private entrance from the outside to carry out the groceries.

When I opened the door, my arms charged with a bag so full it nearly hide my face, I called: "Loki? Could you help us, please? We're loaded!"

"We?" came his voice from the couch. _Did he ever leave it from time to time?_

Answering his question for him, Thor appeared in the threshold. "Good evening, brother."

I finally dropped my bag on the floor next to the kitchen entrance and saw Loki frowning at his elder. Why he did seem unhappy to see Thor was beyond me, but that wasn't the point. He was still sitting on the couch, not really motivated to help us.

 _Prat!_

Rolling my eyes, I went out to get another bag and when I came back, Thor and Loki were arguing. Curious, I stopped just outside the door to listen.

"Do you have to be here all the time to check on me? I'm not going to eat her alive, you know", said Loki.

"I'm trusting you enough to let you share an apartment with her. I'm not here to check on you, I'm here because Zach asked me to accompany her to the store to buy groceriesfor _you_ ," answered Thor, sounding quite angry.

"I would have been happy to get them myself, if I hadn't been imprisoned in this place!" Retorted Loki.

 _Oh… this topic again._

Loki was not pleased either. Again, I could understand his frustration, but what were we supposed to do? Let him freely roam the compound corridors? _Yeah, right! My dad would just love that!_ And he was still wanted on Earth. One step out of the door and Loki would be taken by the military or I don't know which government agency and imprisoned for life. In a real jail. Maybe they would even make experiments on him…

Shaking my head to make these awful thoughts go away, I listened again.

"For the hundreds' time, Loki, we are only trying to protect you", explained Thor with a sigh.

"We? Who's _we_? The little wench can't stand me!"

 _Whoa_ , I wasn't expecting him to actually sound so bitter. It was almost like he hoped I would come to like him. If it was true, he had a strange way to show it…

"Maybe if you tried to be nice for a change, she would", Thor interrupted my train of thoughts. "She's doing everything she can to help you, even if she doesn't have to. She's choosing to help us. And you're wrong, I think you're starting to grow on her."

"What gave you this ridiculous idea?" Asked Loki, wearing a mocking grin, I was sure of it.

"Why else do you think she would buy you liters of milk, just because you happen to love it?"

Thor was having a point. Why did I bought so many bottles of milk? Yes, I liked it and needed it at breakfast, but usually, I wasn't a big fan of it… And I had noticed that Loki seemed to really enjoy the beverage. That arose far too many questions I didn't want to find the answers to. I decided it was time to put an end to their argument, but just as I was about to come in, Thor added: "I'm warning you Loki, if you ever hurt her…" He stopped when he saw me and smiled like if nothing had happened.

Still sitting on the couch, Loki stared at me, a slow grin spreading on his lips. I didn't like this smile, it made tingling shivers travel down my back.

"So", I said, hoping to definitely change the subject. "Pizza tonight?"

Thor and Loki shared a look and the latter asked with a raised eyebrow: "Are we watching _Star Trek_?"

"Duh! Of course. I can't wait for Thor to see his earthly doppelganger", I answered.

Finally, Loki stood up and, being strangely helpful, handed me the groceries as I put them away in the kitchen. While watching him from the corner of my eyes, I couldn't forget how bitter he had sounded when he had told his brother that I couldn't stand him. If anyone had asked me about it yesterday morning, I would have agreed. But after last night, I wasn't sure anymore. Was Thor right? Was Loki really growing on me? Only time would tell. But that night, sitting between the two brothers and having fun watching TV, I realized something…

Loki had genuinely laughed more in the last 24 hours than since I had known him. And I decided I loved that sound. Maybe I wasn't the only one starting to get used to the other…


End file.
